Retractible float for flying boats



Sept. 18, 1928.

V. J.. BURNELLF RETRAGTBLE FLQA'I' FOR FLYING BOATS Filed Dec. 3L 192'?7 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNSS @mf/w@ Patented Sept. 18, 1928.

PATE-:Nrl OFFICE. l

VINCNT J. BURNELLI, F ITIEW- YORK, N. Y.

RETBACTBLE FLOAT FOR FLYING BOATS.

Application led December 31, 1927. Serial No. 243,871.

This invention relates to flying boats such as are provided with stabilizing floats pendent from wings and my improvements are directed to means for mounting a traction wheel in each of the floats, for land service, to-

gether ,with means for adjusting said floats vertically, whereby the wheels may be lowered for land service and raised when the craft is in flight or floating onwater.

1o Other features and advantages' of my invention will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings: n

Figure 1 is a partial side elevation of a flying boat showing my improved wheel carrying float, in hinged relation with a wing, for vertical adjustment. u

Fig. 2 is a partial view in'front elevation of the flying boat, having a side float carried by a wing,a portion of the wing being broken away to show the shock absorbing means and the means for communicating vertical movement to the float.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail of the shock absorbing and vertical movement actuating means.

Fig. 4 is a front elevation o f a flying boat equipped with my improvements, and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation thereof.

In saidviews let 1 indicate the hull or boat of a flying boat, 2 the main supporting airfoil, 3, 3 side airfoils extended respectively from the opposite Sides of the'boat, and struts- 1, 4' connecting airfoils 2 and 3: While a bi- .plane airfoil arrangement is given in the eirample of my 'invention herein illustrated it is' to be understood that I am not limited to the bi-plane type of sustaining wings, as my improvement, to be hereinafter described in conjunction with the wings, 3, may equally well be employed with a flying boat having y a monoplane airfoil. The floats 5, 5' which are each provided with bulkheads 6 to form- Water tight compartments 7, each have a recess 8 formed in the forward portion, open at the bottom and adapted to partly enclose a wheelI '9, only the lower p ortion of said wheel, below the hub, proJecting below said float.

The wheel 9 is journalled in a frame com- 5 posed of the fork members 10, the horizontal member 11 extended rearwardly therefromv against the under surface of the float top, and the angled members 12 that converge upwardly and rearwardly from the wheel hubs, merging with the member 11 near the upper rear end of the float, where the fra-me structure projects through the float top, there having pivotal engagement, at 13,*with a vertical spar 14, that extends through an airfoil 3 and connects with a strut 4a. It will lbe noted that the nose portion 15 of the pontoon is of convex contour to reduce head resistance, while the lower, exposed portion of wheel 9, also presents a stream line effect adapted to minimize head resistance.

The float structure and contained wheel as shown in full lines in Fig. 1 represents the position of these elements when the flying boat is in flight or operating on water, but when the flying boat isrequired to land upon or take 0H from a solid surface then the floats are to be lowered to the position thereof i-ndicated in dot and dash lines in Fig. 1. The instrumentalities whereby this lowering operation (also the return) is effected are as follows:

The upper ends of fork members. 1() are provided with horizontal slots 16 with which pins 17 carried by a vertical shaft 18 are engaged, said shaft being threaded and passing freely through a rectangular frame 19 Jthat contains a spool 20 and elastic elements 21 that constitute shock absorbing means. The spool 2() is threaded to en- 'gage the screw upon shaft 18, but is itself prevented from moving vertically by being v held between the lower portion of frame 19 and the elastic elements 21; consequently, as

I the spool 20 is` rotated by means of a cable 22 that is wound thereon, thereby the shaft 18 is given vertical movement. The cable 22 is passed t0 suitable operating means (not shown) under the control of the pilot. Obviously, by turning the spool in one direc- .tion shaft 18 will be moved downwardly, carrying with it the float and the wheel journalled therein. Since the shafts 18 for both floats will be operated simultaneously thereby both wheels will be movcd'together into their lowered position for traction purposes. Similarly, by reverse motions of the spools the floats and wheels will be retracted.

The floats 5, in their vertical movements,

swing upon the axes provided by their hinge joints 13, and the slots 16 provide the requisite play for pins 17 in the arcuate path; that is followed bythe floats in those movements.

The frames 19 enclosing the spools and shock absorbers are each contained within the leading edges of an airfoil 3, which if necessary, may be provided with a localized enlargement, as at 23, for such enclosing means.

It will be observed that whereas the spars 14, to which the floats are hinged, connect with the rear struts 4, the shafts 18, which support the floats at their forward port-ions, and which communicate vertical movement thereto, are extended up between the forward struts 4.

Variations within the spirit and scope of my invention are equally comprehended by the foregoing disclosure.

I claim:

1. The combination with a flying boat hav ing an airfoil, of a float in hinged relation at its rear portion to said airfoil, said float carrying a traction wheel, and vertically movable engaging means between said float at its forward portion and said airfoil, whereby said float may be swung into lowered and retracted positions.

2. The combination with a flying boat having an airfoil, of a float in hinged relation at its rear portion to said airfoil, and means enclosed in the leading edge of said airfoil to move said float into extended and retracted positions.

3. The combination with a flying boat having an airfoil, of a float in hinged relation at its rear portion tosaid airfoil, means enclosed in the leading edge of said airfoil to move said float into extended and retracted positions, and shock' absorbing means also enclosed in said leading edge.

New York, December 28th, 1927.

VINCENT J. BURNELLI. 

